Of Humans and Spirits
by waterwolf1597
Summary: After Seven years of trying Chihiro finally returns to the Spirit world. She learns that Yubaaba is looking for workers so in order to protect herself from a contract she goes to Zeniiba. Haku learns of her return and sets out to see her. Yet a prophecy stands in their way of being together again. Will they see each other as promised or will the prophecy ring true?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Remembering

Seven years ago Chihiro had stumbled into the spirit world. Her parents had thought it was an abandoned amusment park. Chihiro didn't want to go explore the 'park' she wanted to leave and go back to the car. Her parents continued walking and they came across whole streets lined with resturants. Her mother and father sat at one of the resturants and began eating. Chihiro tried to get her parents to leave with her, but they only continued to eat. Chihiro decided to look around more. She climbs the last few steps and find a bridge that led to a bathhouse. She begins to cross to get a closser look when she met _him_.

He had pale skin greenish black hair and silvery emerald eyes. He appeared two years older than her. He told her to get her parents and run. Chihiro did as she was told, she ran to the resturant were they were. When she got there in the place where her parents had sat two pigs in clothing. In fright she ran in the direction she and her parents had come earlier. Once she reaches the river she realises it is no longer void of water but full of it. She takes a step to cross the river and is waist deep in water.

Chihiro climbs out of it to find a boat coming to dock. Chihiro raises her hands to shield her eyes. She sees she is becoming transparent. In fright she runs and hides. The boy who had told to leave finds her again and gives her something to eat so she wouldn't disapear. Then he takes her back to the bathhouse. At the bridge he put a spell on her that would make her invisible as long as she didn't breath. They were almost across when a frog hopped up to him and spoke startling Chihiro and she gasps in a breath.

He races them into a garden and comenderates her for holding her breath for as long as she did. He tells her to head to the boiler room and ask the boiler man for a job. He told her it would be hard work but it would keep her out of Yubaaba's, the witch who runs the bathhouse, notice. He then goes inside and calmes the workers.

Chihiro goes and does as she's told and sees the boiler man, Kamajii, and he tells her he has no room for her there. A woman, Lin, another worker comes in to give Kamajii and his soot ball workers their super. She sees Chihiro and intends to report her to Yubaaba, until Kamajii says Chihiro is his granddaughter. He says she came here looking for work. Lin agrees to take her to Yubaaba to get a job.

On the way Lin and Chihiro were seperated. Chihiro makes it to Yubaaba. She signs a contract and Yubaaba steals her name and renames her Sen. Yubaaba then summons the boy, Haku, to set Sen up with a job. Haku takes her and puts her to work with Lin.

The next morning Haku comes in and tells Sen to meet him on the bridge. She meets him and he takes her to see her parents. He tells her to remember what they look like. He then takes her back to the bridge were he gives her back her human world clothes. Haku then turns into a dragon and flies away.

Sen and Lin get assigned to clean the big bath and they do. A clogged up river spirit comes to get cleaned up. Sen and Lin pull out all the pollution that has clogged the spirit. He gives Sen a ball of medicine that make you throw up. Yubaaba is so pleased with Sen that she gives her a hug and tells everyone to learn from her.

A few days later Haku returns being chased by paper birds. Sen gets him into a room and shuts the door. After the birds are gone Haku bursts from the room and flies up to Yubaaba's appartment. Sen climbs up to Yubaaba's office to help Haku. Sen hides in the room beside Yubaaba's office until she leaves. Sen get's pulled into pile of cushions to meet Yubaaba's son Boh. Boh wants Sen to play with him, She tells him she has to do something first then she'll play with him.

She get's Boh to release her by telling him she is covered in germs and will make him sick if he doesn't let her go. Sen bursts into the office to stop Yubaaba's three bouncing heads from pushing Haku down a shaft. Boh comes out of his room and tells Sen that if she doesn't play with him he'll cry and Yubaaba will be mad at her. One of the paper birds that was attacking Haku, shows a hollowgram of a woman that looks just like Yubaaba. It turns out to be Yubaaba's twin sister, Zeniiba.

Zeniiba transforms her nephew into a very fat mouse, Yubaaba's scout and pet Yu-bird into a smaller version of herself and Yubaaba's bouncing heads into Boh. Zeniiba then looks at Sen telling her that Haku stole her magic seal. Sen defends Haku saying he wouldn't steal. Zeniiba tells her that as long as he has the seal he will die.

Haku awakens and distroies the paper bird and cutting off Zeniiba's connection then rolls into the shaft pulling Sen, Boh and Yu-bird with him. He lands in the boiler room were he passes out. Sen feeds him half of the medicine ball and he throws up the seal and a black slug. Sen scuishes the slug and Kamajii makes the symbol to disspell harm. Lin comes into the room telling the creature she let in wasn't a customer but a monster that has eaten three people. Lin tells Sen that Yubaaba wants to see her so she can get rid of it.

Sen goes to see the monster and feeds him the other half of the ball and he starts throwing up everywhere. Sen runs out of the bathhouse to Lin who takes her to the train tracks. No-Face, the monster, comes with her to Zeniiba's, so Sen can return the seal.

Once at Zeniiba's Sen finds out she isn't as mean as she thought. Sen gives back the seal and finds out that the protective spell can only be removed with love. Sen also learns that the slug she squashed was Yubaaba's way of controling Haku. Zeniiba tells Sen to consider her as her grandmother in the spirit world. Zeniiba, Boh, Yu-bird and No-Face make her a hair band that would protect her.

Zeniiba tells Sen that another guest has arrived and asked if she would let them in. Sen goes to open the door and finds Haku standing there in dragon form. Sen, Boh and Yu-bird climb on Haku and go back to the bathhouse. Sen remembers Haku's real name and tells him it. Haku tyrns back into a human and tells her that he remembers everything. They reach the bathhouse and Yubaaba has set up a test that she must pass if Chihiro wants to go home. Chihiro passes without a sweat and runs to Haku who escourts her to the river. He tells her that her parents are on the other side looking for her. He says that they would meet again.

"CHIHIRO OGINO!" snaps her teacher "Would you show the class what you drew for this project."

"Oh sure." says Chihiro timidly. It was the last day of grade eleven and she was in her last period. She shows them an amazing image of a white dragon and a 10 year old girl flying with a full moon behind them and clouds on either side of the moon. Her class nearly gasps in awe.

In the last seven years Chihiro's drawing ability improved as well as her reflexes. Chihiro started a diary, in which she wrote down all her thoughts and wonders of the spirit world. The bell rings signaling the end of the day. "Chihiro may I speak with you a moment please." says her teacher. Chihiro walks over to the desk."Chihiro do you find class that boring that I have to snap at you to wake you from your reverie? Is there something going on at home? Are you and your parents fighting? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No it's nothing like that. It more like the creative side of my brain just can't turn itself off. And I know that and I'm trying to find even a way to turn it down or off." Chihiro explains to her teacher the same thing she always does. It is only part of the truth Chihiro could concentrait when she is drawing but when it is school or work she can only think of Haku and his promise.

"Alright just hope it doesn't happen to often. You can go now." Chihiro leaves the room and runs to her locker to get the last of her stuff before heading home for the last time that year.

"Hey Chihiro!", shouts a familliar voice.

Chihiro turned to see Scott, a guy she knows running up to her waving like a mad-man. He had short redish hair and blue eyes, he was fairly pale with a lot of freckles, fairly thin though it was all muscle. Scott's parents had moved to Japan from the States when he was two. "Hey Scott.", she said as he leaned on the locker to her right.

"So there's going to be a party at that old ameusement park just out of town, you wanna come with me?", he asks nervously.

"Well...um...I...uh...I was already planning on going anyways, to the park I mean not the party I was going to see if an old friend of mine was going to be at the park. I hope he will be.", the last part she says quieter then the rest.

"Who?", he asks leaning a bit closer.

"His name is Haku, and I've known him since I was four."

"So your two are just friends, nothing more right?"

"I don't know the last time I saw him was seven years ago so I really don't know where the two of us stand."

"You haven't seen each other in SEVEN years he probably has a girlfriend and doesn't remember you.", says Scott.

"Take that back Scott. I know Haku would never forget me, ever, and do you want to know why?", she asks venimously.

He nods to her. Chihiro pulls out a leather cord around her neck and on this necklace was a single white dragon scale with an opal like over coat. "The last time I saw Haku, he gave me this. It's true signifagance is known only to me."

"He gave you a white porcelain tear? To reprisent what, that he was sad to see you leave? Honestly Chihiro you could buy that at any corner store."

"He made this for me."

"Well it doesn't take much effort to make a tear, curved or flat."

Chihiro finishes putting the last of her belongings in her book bag, closes her locker and walks away not even sparing a glance at Scott.

"Hey where are you going?", he asks following her.

"Home." she returns turning to look back at him through the corner of her eye.

"I'll see you tonight right?", he asks hopefully.

"No.", she says turning to face forward.

With that she disapears into the crowd. Chihiro weaves her way through it and out the doors to summer vacation. Once outside she races home to an empty house. Her grandmother was sick and her parents had gone to house sit while she was in the hospital.

Chihiro put her things away and goes downstairs to make super and feed her Samoyed dog named Spirit. Her parents had gotten her Spirit as a present three years after their return from the spirit world. Spirit was a good dog he hardly ever barked and was very protective of Chihiro he had scared off more then one boy who had gotten to close for her comfort, but other then that he barely even made a sound. Spirit was her confident he would listen to her go on and on about lord knows what, be it the spirit world, be it the human one, be it the boys who never got the hint that she was unintrested in them, like Scott, he would listen and then when she'd finished he'd go up to her and give her a hug and kiss and esentially tell her everything would turn out right. He always seemed to understand what she was talking about and always had answer.

They ate and she asked him, "Do you think the gate will be open tonight?".

He looks up from his food and nods his large head.

"Are you sure it'll be open?"

Again he nods.

"How do you know it'll be open? all the other times we tried it was closed."

He looks at her with a look that says _I just know _and returns to eating his super.

"So are you coming this time?"

He continues eating.

"I'll take that as a no?", she asks.

He then looks at her with the words_ there is no way in hell I'm staying here when there are spirits that will kill you in there._

"Alright don't matt your fur over it I was just asking.", she smiles.

He heaves a sigh and finishes his food. She follows suite about a minute. She gets up and goes upstairs and dresses in different clothing, she packs her drawing pencils, two packets of paper, and her colored pencils. She also pockets several gold pieces she'd made from her 24 karat jewelery. Shouldering her book bag she and Spirit lock the house and walk down the path they'd made from walking it so much.

At the bottom they turn onto the bumpy road ahead. They walk until they reach the tunnel where they stop. She looks at Spirit and asks, "Are you absolutely sure?".

He looks back at her and nods once and give her a reassuring smile, well as close to it as you can when your a dog. With a steadying breath she starts walking towards the tunnel Spirit not a pace behind her they commence their journey in the spirit world.


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2 Return to the Spirit World

Once through the tunnel the sight that greeted them was the one they saw all the times before. Rolling hills, abandoned houses and a narrow path snaking across these hills. Not letting what she saw deter her from her from trying to find the shops again. They walk along the path until they see the place where a river should have been and the stairs on the far side of it at the sight Chihiro's heart starts to beat faster. She hops over the rocks like their nothing, Spirit using more caution. At the stairs she smiles at Spirit and they dash up them and past the frog like monument that fills the river for boat loads of spirits to go to the bathhouse. They walk up the streets of restaurants and pass them all and reach the bridge of the bathhouse. They look both ways and run across and look around to make sure nobody saw them, Chihiro directs Spirit to the small door Haku had taken her through the last time she had been there. They sneak from bush to bush making sure they aren't noticed, they slip out the door at the back of the garden and slowly make their way down the stairs. They reach the bottom with little trouble, once there she notices that the tips of her fingers are transparent. They sprint to the door that leads to the boiler room. Chihiro opens it with some difficulty. They slip inside and breath a half sigh of relief, they still had to fix their transparency problem.

They walk through the hall leading to boiler room just before entering she motions for Spirit to stop and stay and wait for her to call him. With that done she steps into the light of the boiler room. It hadn't changed in seven years; it looked the same as if it had been yesterday. Taking a deep breath she says, "Hello Grandfather."

Kamajii startled he looks over to the girl standing in the door way. He replies to her after his surprise had passed, "I have absolutely no idea what you talking about I have no grandchildren."

"That's not what you said the last time I was here. I remember your very words to Lin.", says Chihiro cocking her head to the left.

"How do you know I said that to Lin?" he asks confused.

"Because I was there when you said it Kamajii. I'm surprised you don't remember me." she replies smiling.

"Chihiro?" he asks in awe.

"The one and only." she smiles.

"Come in, come sit and talk with me and tell me and about your time in the human world." says Kamajii gesturing for her to do so.

"I will in a second but I have to ask you something first."  
"Of course what is it?"

"Do you have anything to eat?" she asks showing how her hands were disappearing.

"Oh my goodness yes I have a cure for that." he says.

He reaches for a leg of chicken he hadn't eaten and passes it to her, she bows a little and turns and motions for Spirit to come out. The Samoyed sits as Chihiro tears some meat from the bone and gives it to him. As soon as it gets past their mouths they start to reappear. With the meat completely gone from the bone Chihiro asks, "Do you want the bone?"

Spirit looks at Kamajii silently asking permission which Kamajii gave. Spirit takes the bone and starts to chew it. She and Kamajii talk about how she was doing in school, what her life was like, how the boys made her mad by trying to convince her to go out with them and she turned them down every time. And then she tells him about the parties the humans were having down past the river and how shocked to find water pooling at their feet and how they'd run. They talk about the things that have changed and what has stayed the same since she left, he tells her that Yubaaba was having the bathhouse renovated, having the paint redone, the banisters and the floors even in the workers areas. He tells Chihiro that Yubaaba has been trying to find an artist who can draw well enough to make anything look life like.

"Well then I guess she'd better never find out I'm back and that my drawings have been described that they look like you could reach in and touch the object, forest or person." jokes Chihiro.

"Yes it is a good thing she doesn't know your here. Or you'd have to sign another contract." says Kamajii.

"But we both know we can't stay here long in case she does find out." says Chihiro.

"True. But where in the Spirit world would you be safe?" Kamajii inquires.

"At Zeniiba's probably."

"But how would you get there? I don't have tickets to give you this time."

"I can walk. Really how bad could it be?"

"If you run into a spirit that doesn't like humans it could be very dangerous. So no you are not walking there." Kamajii says with finality.

"Has Boh gone see Zeniiba at all since I left?" she asks

"Yes he has twice a month. In fact he's going the day after tomorrow."

"If I can talk to him then Spirit and I can go with him." she says, "But how do I get to him so I can talk to him?"

"The same way you did last time." suggests Kamajii.

"Then I'd best hop to it then. Spirit stay I'll be back soon." she says as she gets up and leaves.  
She leaves the boiler room just as Lin enters. Lin notices Spirit laying down and looking at the door from which Chihiro had just left. "Kamajii who's dog is that?" she asks him.

"Spirit, oh he's Chihiro's she's back for a visit." replies Kamajii.

"Really she is? I have to go tell Haku he'll be ecstatic." says Lin.

"Speaking of Haku where is he?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well then I suppose I should find him then."

She hands Kamajii his food and gives the soot balls their supper before heading off to find Haku and share this amazing news.

"Good luck." Says Kamajii.

Spirit looks up and barks like he's laughing and at the same time he snickers _she's going to need it._


	3. Chapter 3

**Annej-bold writing**

Asiram-underlined

_Ayouqes-italic_

Ch.3 The Rains

The three rains met in an swamp of which was the half way point between a mountain range, a desert, and the prairies. There is Asiram the rain of the prairies a timid yet sometimes volitile spirit. Then Annej the chipper and light rain spirit of the desert. Last but not least Ayouqes the calming mist like rain of the mountains.

The three rain sisters long since surpased their masters the Sun, the Moon, the Thunder and the Lightening. All four of those spirits taught them, until there was nothing left to teach them and they became masters in their own right. But Asiram, Annej and Ayouqes never found spirits who were worthy to learn such magic, they feared that the ones they chose would use it for ill. So they waited for thousands of years until Ayouqes began to have visions of human and spirit lovers. That was when they realised what their was knowledge was for, they were to teach them magic and harness it so that they can always be together, either in the spirit world or in the human one.

For three thousand years they taught the different lovers but only a handful ever successfully harnessed their magic all the others died during the ritual of making the bond of glass.

It was the latest vision Ayouqes had that they happend to be discussing at this particular time. It was the love between Chihiro of the humans and Kohaku of the water dragon clan.

**"They will survive this ritual, I can sense it in the air." **Smiles Annej

_"Your air has been wrong before Annej, and 'tis too soon to see the out come." _Contradicts Ayouqes

"Surely you see somthing Ayouqes, we cannot do this blindly if we do they will surely die." Insists Asiram.

_"I can see up to Zeniiba giving Chihro the information about us but that choice is yet before her, until she makes her choise I am blind." _Replies Ayouqes with a sigh.

**"What preparations should we make?" **Asks Annej in excitement.

_"None until the decision, when it is made I will message you so that we can prepare for our guests, as well as the order in which they will come to you."_ says Ayouqes

"Well then we shall have to be patient. Something your not well known for Annej." smirks Asiram.

**"I can be patient if I want to be. When will Chihiro get to Zeniiba?"**

_"Soon. Within in the next three days should all go as pl...WHAT IS THAT LIN DOING? SHE WILL RUIN EVERYTHING!"_ snarls Ayouqes her form flickering between her human one and her animal one.

**"What do you see?"** asks Asiram and Annej in concern.

_"Lin descided that Kohaku and Chihiro should meet sooner then I foretold, if this happens all is lost and they will die."_

"What can we do to stop her?"

_"Annej touch her mind from here and stop her, she can only tell Kohaku after Chihiro has left the bath house."_

**"Of course."**

"Until the decision is made let us part ways so that when it is time we shall meet again to discuss our next move."

_**"Agreed."**_

_**"Until the next we meet."**_

With that said they departed to their homes, leaving only the scents of their different rains behind for the five swamp brother spirits to smell.

**A/N sorry it took so long, I had writers block. Though thanks to my step sister I have inspiration again. Though I'd love you guys to give me ideas that I can incorporate into my story.**

**always a pleasure, Waterwolf. **


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